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CEGL007449 Quercus michauxii - Quercus pagoda / Clethra alnifolia - Leucothoe axillaris Wet Flatwoods Forest
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Swamp Chestnut Oak - Cherrybark Oak / Coastal Sweet-pepperbush - Coastal Doghobble Wet Flatwoods Forest
Colloquial Name: Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Forest (Oak Flat Type)
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: This forest occurs on extensive interstream flats with fine-textured mineral soils. Hydrology is seasonally to nearly permanently saturated, with occasional ponding, and is maintained by a high water table rather than riverine or estuarine flooding. This community generally occurs in association with large peatlands, for example in the Great Dismal Swamp of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The canopy is dominated by Quercus michauxii, Quercus pagoda, Quercus laurifolia, Liquidambar styraciflua (especially in logged examples), Quercus nigra, and Fagus grandifolia (on mesic microsites). Typical understory species are Persea palustris, Carpinus caroliniana ssp. caroliniana, Asimina triloba, Ilex opaca var. opaca, and Acer rubrum. The shrub layer is often dense and typically has species such as Clethra alnifolia and Leucothoe axillaris as dominants. Vaccinium formosum, Itea virginica, Eubotrys racemosa, Sabal minor, Lindera benzoin var. benzoin, and Arundinaria tecta are also often present. Trillium pusillum var. virginianum sometimes occurs in this community.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Liquidambar styraciflua-dominated examples currently included here need additional investigation. See ~Liquidambar styraciflua - Quercus laurifolia / Magnolia virginiana / Carex lonchocarpa Wet Forest (CEGL004631)$$. This vegetation describes the nonriverine wet hardwood forests of extreme southeastern Virginia (G.P. Fleming pers. comm. 2004).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: The canopy of stands of this type is dominated by Quercus michauxii, Quercus pagoda, Quercus laurifolia, Liquidambar styraciflua (especially in logged examples), Quercus nigra, and Fagus grandifolia (on mesic microsites). Typical understory species are Carpinus caroliniana ssp. caroliniana, Asimina triloba, Ilex opaca var. opaca, and Acer rubrum. The shrub layer is often dense, and typically has species such as Clethra alnifolia and Leucothoe axillaris as dominants. Vaccinium formosum, Itea virginica, Eubotrys racemosa (= Leucothoe racemosa), Sabal minor, Lindera benzoin var. benzoin, and Arundinaria tecta (= Arundinaria gigantea ssp. tecta) are also often present. Trillium pusillum var. virginianum sometimes occurs in this community.
Dynamics: The dominance of Liquidambar styraciflua may increase following canopy removal, or selective removal of more commercially valuable species (e.g., Quercus michauxii, Quercus pagoda, Quercus laurifolia, and Quercus nigra).
Environmental Description: This forest occurs on extensive interstream flats with fine-textured mineral soils. Its hydrology is seasonally to nearly permanently saturated, with occasional ponding, and is maintained by a high water table rather than riverine or estuarine flooding. This community generally occurs in association with large peatlands.
Geographic Range: This community occurs in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia.
Nations: US
States/Provinces: NC, VA
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.689725
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G2
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.B Temperate & Boreal Forest & Woodland Subclass | S15 | 1.B |
| Formation | 1.B.3 Temperate Flooded & Swamp Forest Formation | F026 | 1.B.3 |
| Division | 1.B.3.Nb Southeastern North American Flooded & Swamp Forest Division | D062 | 1.B.3.Nb |
| Macrogroup | 1.B.3.Nb.2 Swamp Tupelo - Swamp Chestnut Oak - Bald-cypress Basin Swamp & Flatwoods Macrogroup | M033 | 1.B.3.Nb.2 |
| Group | 1.B.3.Nb.2.b Laurel Oak - Willow Oak - Loblolly Pine Wet Flatwoods Group | G130 | 1.B.3.Nb.2.b |
| Alliance | A3443 <i>Quercus michauxii - Quercus pagoda - Quercus laurifolia</i> Wet Flatwoods Forest Alliance | A3443 | 1.B.3.Nb.2.b |
| Association | CEGL007449 Swamp Chestnut Oak - Cherrybark Oak / Coastal Sweet-pepperbush - Coastal Doghobble Wet Flatwoods Forest | CEGL007449 | 1.B.3.Nb.2.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Quercus michauxii - Quercus laurifolia / Carpinus caroliniana / Carex debilis Saturated Forest (Fleming and Moorhead 1998)
< IIA10e. Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Forest (Allard 1990)
< Swamp Chestnut Oak - Cherrybark Oak: 91 (Eyre 1980) [but in a different habitat from described]
< IIA10e. Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Forest (Allard 1990)
< Swamp Chestnut Oak - Cherrybark Oak: 91 (Eyre 1980) [but in a different habitat from described]
- Allard, D. J. 1990. Southeastern United States ecological community classification. Interim report, Version 1.2. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Chapel Hill, NC. 96 pp.
- Eyre, F. H., editor. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Society of American Foresters, Washington, DC. 148 pp.
- Fleming, G. P., K. D. Patterson, and K. Taverna. 2017. The natural communities of Virginia: A classification of ecological community groups and community types. Third approximation. Version 3.0. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA. [http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-communities/]
- Fleming, G. P., and K. D. Patterson. 2011b. Analysis of Coastal Plain / Outer Piedmont bottomlands and non-alluvial wetlands in Virginia, 400 plots. In-house analysis, January 2011. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond.
- Fleming, G. P., and W. H. Moorhead, III. 1998. Comparative wetlands ecology study of the Great Dismal Swamp, Northwest River, and North Landing River in Virginia. Natural Heritage Technical Report 98-9. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond. Unpublished report submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 181 pp. plus appendices.
- Fleming, Gary P. Personal communication. Ecologist, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage, Richmond, VA.
- Schafale, M. P. 2012. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina, 4th Approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh.
- Schafale, M. P., and A. S. Weakley. 1990. Classification of the natural communities of North Carolina. Third approximation. North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh. 325 pp.
- Southeastern Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Durham, NC.